How to Tell if Your Math Tutor App is Worth the Cost

If you’re new to the online tutoring world, you may not know what to expect from a math tutor app, so we want to help you make sure you are getting the most out of the experience.
Whether you’re in the process of deciding on the right app for your child’s math needs or you’re already using one and want to know if you made the right decision, we’ve included some benefits below for you to be able to tell if the math tutor app you are using or considering is worth the cost.

Is my math tutor app worth the cost?

There are a lot of online tutoring services out there these days, and we know it can be overwhelming to decide which is the best. The cost and features of these programs and apps can vary greatly depending on what’s included or not included.
The list below reviews some features of math tutor apps that you’ll want to consider when it comes to reviewing and pricing out the cost of a math tutor app and it’s worth.

These benefits should be included in your math tutor app:

Scheduling Convenience

Since you’ve opted to go with online tutoring, convenience in scheduling tutoring sessions is likely very high on your list of what you expect in a math tutor app.

Online tutoring is inherently more convenient than in-person tutoring since you do not have to travel to a specific place, but online applications and programs should also offer you convenience in scheduling your tutoring sessions.

Tutoring that fits the schedule of your family will help ensure that your student attends every session in order to get the most impact from their tutoring.

Qualified Math Tutors

This is right up there with scheduling convenience when it comes to what you should expect from a math tutor app. Online tutoring should offer your student the same caliber of math tutor as any that you can find in person.

Often, we find that online tutors can be even more qualified because you aren’t limited to just the tutors that live in your area.

The tutoring company should find and vet qualified tutors with exceptional records of success so that you don’t have to. This is definitely a feature that should be included with any online tutoring program that you would consider.

Complete Curriculum

You want to be sure that the program you are using has a complete curriculum that will support your student until their math tutoring goals are being met, with a plan for how to help your child excel beyond their initial math goals.

This way you are not having to change tutors regularly, and you can provide your student with consistency, which is critical when they are trying to master tough concepts.

You want to find a curriculum that matches what your student is learning in school while also being aware of the best methods for teaching math outside of the classroom. Well-established programs should align with the common core curriculum to ensure that your student gets and stays on track with what their classmates are learning.

Regular Access, Feedback and Progress Updates

When you’re trusting your student’s math needs to a math tutor app and online tutor, you want to use a program that guarantees you regular access to your child’s tutor and to their progress.

Just because you don’t see your student’s tutor in person, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to get feedback from them regularly via daily grading and feedback on your student’s work or emails, texts and even phone calls, with you when necessary.

The best math tutor apps should also provide your student and you with a clear way to track progress, such as a dashboard. Your student should be able to see their progress directly in the app, which provides them the opportunity to track their own progress and can lead to more confidence and motivation to continue learning.

As the parent, you should feel confident that your student is getting better each day – and know that you are getting a benefit from the service you are paying for.

Results – Your Student Should Improve in Math

This is probably the best way to determine if your math tutor app is worth the cost. If you’re spending money for an app to improve your student’s math skills, you want to start seeing results as quickly as possible.

While using the app, you should see improvement in your student’s grades as well as less frustration around the topic of math, studying and math homework. Of course, you have to be reasonable in the timeframe. You may not see huge improvements after just one or two sessions, but your tutor should be able to provide feedback about how your student is doing and what areas they are going to focus on.

Initial ways to tell if you have chosen the right app or program for your student can be seen in your student’s confidence and how they embrace their tutoring sessions.

Your child may never WANT to attend their math tutoring session or do homework, but if they do so with less stress and dread, this can be an early win for your entire family.

You also want to be sure that they are talking positively about their tutor, their tutoring experience, the app itself, and math in general – this can give you insight into how the process is going without seeing their grades. Seeing them seek out and complete extra worksheets without prompting can also be an indicator that the tutoring is going well.

Eventually, though, you should be able to see results in their math work.

Homework should be completed – possibly more quickly – and their grades should be improving. Your student should be able to demonstrate mastery of math topics through how they complete their work and by doing better on math tests, which will impact their overall grade.

If your student does not get better in math – or seems to be doing worse – this is a clear indicator that the math tutor app you are using is not worth the cost. This problem should be alleviated immediately to keep your student from getting even further behind.

Cost Transparency

When it comes to the cost of an online tutoring program and what you are getting for your money, it is beneficial to work with a company that is completely transparent with you.

You want to look for a company that is up front with their pricing – where you can easily find the cost rather than having to hunt for it or jump through hoops to get a quote. You also want to get a clearly detailed list of what you are getting for the cost – and what may or may not be included in the price – to avoid extra surprising fees.

For example, it’s important to know whether or not the price includes extra worksheets and other features, such as additional test prep.

We recommend finding out what the cost – and availability – would be for any add-on tutoring sessions your student might need outside of their regularly scheduled ones. There may be important times in your child’s education, such as before a test, between grades or when they are struggling with a new concept, that having the option to add tutoring sessions would be helpful.

Having all the facts can set you up for added success and cut the stress of having to worry about additional costs when it comes to getting your child math help.

These features may not always be included but add value to your math tutor app:

Math Worksheets

While math worksheets are not always included in the cost of an online tutoring program or app, finding a program that does include these would be a way to get extra value out of the program.

If these math worksheets are unlimited, then that’s even better.

This would allow for your student to work on math problems for as long as they want, when they want, with no limit to how many math problems they can complete!

Payment Options and Flexibility

When you’re using an online tutoring program, you may have to decide between signing a contract for a specific length of time or using a program that allows more flexible payment options.

Sometimes, when you sign up for an extended term, you can get a better price, but you may not want to get locked into long commitment before you know that online tutoring is a good fit for your child.

Additionally, if your student just needs a little help on a topic or is about to change grades– from elementary school to middle school, for example – you may just be looking for a small boost that will give them a head start on their education.

Having the option to go month-to-month with a math tutor app gives you an extra layer of freedom and convenience in your math tutoring options.

Before you sign up, don’t forget to ask if you will be able to change plans at any time if you see your student’s needs change. Knowing you have this extra flexibility can be an added value of the entire program.

How do I know if the math tutor app I’m looking at is worth it?

When you’re researching a math tutor app, it’s important to do as much research as you can about their curriculum, read reviews of the apps and tutors you are considering and take advantage of any free trials, if available.

Many sites will include testimonials on their websites, which are sure to be positive, but you also want to find third-party reviews of the apps you are looking into.

Often, a search of the company name plus “review” can lead you to third-party sites that provide an honest look at the company from those who have used it.

Comparison of Main Math Tutoring Sites

Mathnasium™ Learning Centers

Mathnasium™ is a popular math tutoring program that offers in-person tutoring at local Mathnasium Learning Centers. Their method is well-established and they get good reviews, but the special benefits of using an online math tutoring app are not as applicable for this type of tutoring – the main one being the lack of location independence. Mathnasium™ worksheets are completed at the learning center and cannot be taken home. Additionally, no homework is given in order to encourage learning.

The Mathnasium™ cost is typically between $200 to $300+ a month depending on the plan. They also require an additional registration fee that is approximately $100 and occasionally offer their skills assessment for free or if the registration fee is paid. A quick search for Mathnasium Reviews on Google will give you an overview of how well their program works.

Kumon® Math

Kumon®math is similar to Mathnasium™ in that it is a program taught through a learning center that requires you to go to that specific location. Kumon ™is a more traditional math program that emphasizes memorization and repetition.

The Kumon® cost ranges from $95 to $145 per subject and requires a registration fee of $50, plus a materials fee. They also “expect” a minimum of six months of enrollment for their programs. The fee includes up to twice weekly center visits and a set number of Kumon® worksheets. If you are a busy parent, you also need to understand that they expect parents to grade their student’s work daily for timely feedback and corrections.

Thinkster Math

Thinkster plans start at $60 a month for those who want extra math work, including unlimited math worksheets and daily feedback, but don’t need one-on-one tutoring. Our gold plan starts at $100 a month for two tutoring sessions, homework help, test prep, daily feedback and unlimited math worksheets, games and tutorials. Our platinum plan provides all the same features as the other packages but offers four tutoring sessions a month.

All plans include our skills assessment that helps form the base of your tutoring program. Thinkster also allows you to switch between subscription plans and cancel whenever you need to.

Our math tutor app is really a full online tutoring program that provides all of the benefits discussed above and then some at a more reasonable cost with no surprises.